Masks of a Fox Ninja
by Tamagachi-chan
Summary: For the longest time, Naruto hid behind a mask. Playing to the villagers expectations he was able to fool them, gathering information from them each in turn. What happens when he grows tired of that mask...?
1. Musings

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. I suppose that if I did, you all would not be watching it... --;;

Author Comments: Just my attempt at a Naruto fanfic. Ever since I first watched and read it, I always thought there was more to the fox ninja. Anyway, read and enjoy.

**Chapter 1:**

Musings 

It was a fine day in the village of Konohakagure. Summer had just approached and a cool breeze danced among the leaves of the surrounding forest. Nearby, the bell chimed for the Shinobi Academy, signaling to the impatient students within that they may take their leave. The doors soon burst open and the students poured out onto the courtyard, chatting with one another or otherwise. Many were joking with their friends and complained about the amount of homework they had been assigned.

One such student, however, was not among those laughing. Instead he sat alone, perched high in a tree and observing his classmates. A small, fox-like smirk tugged at the corner of his lip as he crossed his arms over his chest. _It's amusing, really…_ he thought_. Heh, they think they're in control, and yet I play them like a fiddle so easily…_

Shadows of the leaves played chase across the ground as the wind caressed the tree lovingly. This, combined with the gentle heat soon coaxed him to lay down with his back resting against the firm trunk of the tree. He smiled lazily, just enjoying the scenery, with the many colorful trees and the stone building of the academy. Suddenly the beginnings of a frown spread over his features, and with a bored air about him he glanced in the direction of an approaching student. _Hmm…as easy as it is, I do grow tired of this game…_

A young girl, of maybe sixteen or seventeen years, stepped into view. Short, light pink hair swayed about her ears as large eyes searched the area. She wore the usual adornment of shinobi gear, loose clothing and a pouch for kunai and shurukin. Finally she appeared to find what she was looking for and shouted into the trees.

"Hey, Naruto! Come down from that tree! Master Kakashi told us to meet him in the training grounds for a new mission, so get your butt down here!" Inwardly the fox ninja cringed and gritted his teeth in annoyance even as he slipped smoothly into his care-free façade.

"Of course Sakura-chan! But that mission had better not be like the last one!" If truth be told, Naruto greatly disliked the pink-haired ninja. Her high-pitched voice irritated him constantly and he often found himself wanting to strangle her. However, he knew that chasing after Sakura's affections is what the villagers expect of him, and by acting this way they would drop their guard. For, that was the whole purpose of his little game, to force the villagers to drop their guard. He could feel their secret hatred, feel it coil around his heart and tighten slowly like a great serpent, even as they shunned him with their cold stares. So he watched them behind his mask of carefree happiness, noting their weaknesses and storing them for later use.

Uzumaki Naruto was not as stupid as he appeared.

On the other hand, the rivalry he felt with Sasuke was real. Why should _he_ get all the attention? It irritated Naruto to no end that his rival was so loved, and yet scorned what he could never have. Suddenly his ear twitched as he registered that Sakura was talking. Sighing once again, he pulled out a set of headphones from his sack.

"Hey, are you listening? You should try to pay attention to what people are saying more often, it could be important you know! I bet Sasuke catches a lot of information that slips by…" _Blah, blah, blah. Sasuke this, Sasuke that. Just shut up already…_Naruto growled in his mind as he slipped the headphones over his ears and turned the volume up on one of his favorite songs. Silently, he sang along as he only half listened to what she said. It was always the same with Sakura, a bunch of useless babbling emphasized with a 'Sasuke' every now and then. _Geez, you'd think the stupid wench would get a clue…_he growled again in his mind. _The guy despises her, for Kami's sake…_

The familiar sight of the wide clearing greeted the pair, the breeze blowing freely over the field. Nearby, the genius shinobi was already seated at the stone circle of the memorial, silent as per usual. Like clockwork Naruto physically prepared himself for the abuse his poor ears would be suffering in three…two…one…

"SASUKE!" Yep, that girl was _quite_ predictable… "Sasuke, were you waiting here long? I'm sorry that I couldn't get here sooner, but _Naruto_ was off lazing about in some tree…." Her squeal, of course, fell upon deaf ears as the fox ninja absently searched for a place to sit down, especially as he would likely be sitting there for the next few hours…

Three hours later

Within the clearing that the three genins were waiting the sun could be seen barely peeking above the tops of the trees, their shadows nearly swallowing the ground. Sakura could still be heard yacking to the raven-haired ninja, and despite his god-like self control the corner of his eye was twitching ever so slightly. Naruto happened to glance over, yawning with his arms folded behind his head, when he felt a minor touch of sympathy for him. _Poor guy, looks like he's about to crack. Can't blame him though. I'm not even the victim and yet I still feel the need to knock her teeth out._

Of course, it was just then that with a pop, everybody's favorite scarecrow decided to show himself. Smoke swirled around the field and followed the wind, creating a dramatic effect, and revealing the jounin standing cheerfully before the genins. His eye was curved up happily, a few scrolls tucked under his arm as he surveyed them. I believe I mentioned something earlier about clockwork…

"YOU'RE LATE!" Both Naruto and Sakura shouted as they glared at their master, fingers pointed at him accusingly. Naturally he shrugged it off as he didn't even bother with the excuse this time, yanking a scroll from the small pile under his arm.

"I managed to swipe some of the new assignments commissioned just recently before the other teams had a chance to grab them," Then he added while momentarily glancing at Naruto. "Some of the better ones, at least. I haven't looked through them thoroughly enough, but I _do_ know that they're better than picking weeds and babysitting…"

"Master, did I mention how much I love you…?" A large bead of sweat could be seen behind Kakashi's head as Naruto stared at him with glittering eyes.

"Um…not lately I should think…," He coughed nervously and returned his gaze to one of the scrolls. "In any case, these missions aren't due until tomorrow so we have plenty of time to prepare for them tonight. Now, I want you three to rest up and to make sure you have your supplies ready; the first assignment requires travel and we'll likely be out for a week or so."

tbc

Author comments: So, what do you think? I'm not sure if I'll make any pairings, though there is probably much Sakure bashing to come. rubs hands together gleefully Review please. Flattery is acceptable and flames will be looked over, laughed at, and memorized if they're good. I certainly appreciate new ideas for insults, just one more for my arsonal. Until then, ciao.


	2. Odd Conversations

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, and neither am I some cool Japanese guy who draws ninjas. I'm just a ridiculously smart student who gets incredible grades. :dazzles reader with good-guy pose:

Author comments: First of all, I would like to apologize for those who have given me reviews in the past at not having posted for so long. Mostly my absence has been due to my ungodly amounts of work, and secondly because for a while I was tempted to just not add any more. However, after some thought I was struck with the lightning bolt of inspiration and decided to continue. I will try to add chapters weekly, though I can't guarantee anything, what with exams and benchmarks, etc.

**Chapter 2:**

Odd Conversations 

A passive silence smothered the village of the leaf in its all encompassing blanket, the shadows of evening stretching thinly and taut. It was a transition time for the masses of Konoha, in which the day-time store keepers would trudge about and flip over their signs to "Closed" as they left to escape the grueling hours at work, and the night-time stores would jovially flip on their lights and shout to the owls and night crowd in an attempt to draw them in for business. Like clever trappers they used appealing bait; flashy signs, stylish designs on the walls and signs, entrancing music, and sultry aromas of perfume and incense.

Along the outskirts of the bustle and life was the rot left behind, an abandoned plot of dieing buildings that decayed on their foundations. The ugly rust bricks sagged and squelched in the rain, groaned in protest when the wind teased it with particularly sharp gusts, and creaked on its old wooden bones during the late hours of the night as if attempting to keep its balance while leaning precariously on its side. The buildings, formed into roughly four sections that acted as apartments, were in a sad condition that came about only because of neglect. The water heater was nonexistent, the wall paper, a terrible off-white, peeled down in wrinkly strips, and the carpet was worn through to rough scrap after years of abuse. The bathroom was in surprisingly good condition in comparison to the rest of the house, the unsightly rust and mold that gathered in the damp corners being the worst of it. Otherwise the white tile, colored a pale yellow from the spread of mildew, was relatively clean.

All in all the apartments should have been set for demolition, though one occupant remained in the second story of the pitifully cheap residence (even if he believed that the cheap price he paid for the room was pushing it a bit far). The golden haired ninja sat, perched languidly on the bay seat with his back resting against the wall, and stared out contemplatively over his village. Stripes of light from the street lamps outside his window counted themselves among the six already adorning bronze cheeks, reflecting little squares of light off of the unfocused crimson orbs. His CD player lay, forgotten and lonely, beside him as he absentmindedly flexed the sinewy claws his hands had become.

The rustling of soft fur brushing against rigid metal and the "click" of talons on stone remained an ever-present whisper at the back of Naruto's mind; and though it retreated to the back of his consciousness during the day, drowned out by the loud sounds of people and activity, it never really left. The Kyuubi was bored from what he could gather, and had recently taken to pacing to satisfy its restlessness. Unfortunately, the constant, though gentle, noises it made as it moved were becoming distracting to the fox ninja, thus explaining his transformation as he allowed the link open just enough to talk to the beast. _ 'Something troubling you, kitsune?'_

_' Naturally- this lack of action. There is no more blood, no more fun. This calm is an itch I cannot scratch and it gets to me. A shame the Exams ended so swiftly, I always gleamed some entertainment from those.' _ The growled and moody answer drew a small smile to the ninja's lips; it sounded almost like the Kyuubi was sulking.

_'I'm afraid I cannot help you there. I'm in as much control over mission selection as a ship is of the wind. I can only go wherever it pushes me.'_

_'Hn.' _The final response from the demon sounded more like a grunt then anything, and so reminded the fox ninja of a certain raven-haired avenger that he had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. Of course that didn't stop the Kyuubi from feeling the echoes of the teenager's amusement through the bonds of their link, to which it exasperatedly rolled its eyes- a habit it had picked up from the boy.

One might wonder at the seemingly comfortable way the two conversed, a question that can be easily enough explained. The seal that had once kept Konohakagure's most feared enemy confined was broken. Oh, the rune were still there, but the power behind them had long since been dissolved. The only thing that keeps the Nine Tails in his prison is the sheer, unyielding will of one Uzumaki Naruto. Yes, you heard me correctly. The human child that so many scorned as weak kept the great fox bent beneath his will, trapped within the fortress of his mind.

The seal had finally snapped in his weakened state when he had been confined to his bed after the whole ordeal with bringing Sasuke back from Orichimaru. At first it had caught him off guard, the angry red flames consuming his body as it readily poured out of him. Dark laughter had rung from the very recesses of his mind, and slowly he could feel himself slip into the abyss that gathered along the corners of his eyes, the strength drained from him. Yet, crimson eyes gleaming in victory at having finally toppled his host and at the wonderful carnage to come, were suddenly clouded with confusion as the red chahkra was literally being sucked back into the small blond. Crimson bled into steely blue, and his jaw set and ground his teeth as the battle of wills began. The Kyuubi was completely caught off guard at how the boy had managed to swipe the control out from under its feet, and despite the three hours it took for any traction to be made, it could feel the steady advantage the boy was getting over it. Soon it was helpless to watch as mental bars of a new kind were slammed solidly in place, the prisoner back in its cage as the warden locked the doors.

Where the boy had gotten the determination to push the demon back into mind, the Kyuubi could only wonder. However, the boy had gleaned a reluctant respect from the beast that had risen to somewhat-tolerance over the years. Everyday the kid only got stronger, and his mental barriers only became more complex and rigid, as he had disappointing learned through a few proddings here and there. From the other side of this strange relationship Naruto actually felt a bit of comfort from the demon, as it was only the monster fox who saw behind the masks (but you have to admit, it does have an unfair advantage, what with being in his mind and all...).

Allowing the lazy, sighing wind to lull his thoughts into a dull hum, Naruto closed the link again, momentarily wrinkling his nose at the spike of pain that shot through his nerves as his body changed back to normal. Cerulean eyes regained their thoughtful appearance as he mused about his day, placing the headphones of his CD player over his ears. After Kakashi had dismissed them to go do as they pleased before the day of their mission the trio had wandered down the road of the park in the same general direction, Sakura still clinging to Sasuke's side while remarkably not actually touching him, and with Naruto himself drifting in the back. All three were technically Chuunin now, even though they had not acquired their vests due to the war and problems with Akatsuki. Kakashi was also technically only their team captain, but the three still referred to him as 'master' out of habit. So in a way they were stuck in between, forced to generally do the meager missions and occasionally called upon for the higher ranked ones. With the nearly constant attacks and divided attention, a lot of the good positions were first come-first serve. Kakashi's knack for tardiness had originally been one of Team seven's problems when it came to mission grabbing, but recently Naruto's and Sakura's nagging seemed to get through to him, though the fox ninja had a sneaking suspicion that Kakashi's recent punctuality had more to do with the fact that a certain blushing dolphin had been given the position of assigning missions at the office.

Eventually they had come to a fork in the road that lead to the more prestigious part of town on the right, and the nearly poverty-stricken side to the left. As Naruto headed down the left side, he turned and flashed a blinding smile to his team, waving energetically with a shouted, "Seeya tomorrow!" As per usual his comment was ignored by the female of their group, though he received a noncommittal grunt in response from the slender genius.

Soon Naruto's sandal-clad feet came to the part of town that usually made a person shrink into themselves, not wanting to breath or touch anything and feeling all in all dirty. Trash littered the ground, forming little cyclones of paper and plastic as the wind playfully tossed it around. Everything seemed to be rusting, with a permanent outline of gray around the buildings and chipping sidewalks. Not quite old enough to be considered an adult, Naruto was forced to live on welfare in order to pay for his lodgings, as the pay he received from missions could only cover food and occasionally clothing. Naturally he was given the absolute minimum that was allowed, and as such was forced to find the cheapest place in order to survive. He often entertained the belief that he'd be better off living off in that death trap called a forest.

Once inside his apartment he tossed his orange jacket over the back of a nearby chair, setting off to find something to eat in his kitchen. Ramen was a fairly inexpensive food, so he had a lot of it- though it helped that he loved the stuff. He showered and then packed light for the trip, not really wishing to carry much weight if it was likely that they'd be doing a lot of walking. He then sat at his bay window to watch the sun play its eternal game of hide and seek with the moon, its long tails stretching behind as it dove beneath the horizon. The stars blinked sleepily from the deep black above, and as the wind giggled over the roofs he felt himself drawn to the oblivion of sleep.

tbc

Author comments: Review please. Flattery is acceptable and flames will naturally be looked over, laughed at, and/or tossed depending on my mood. Through my watching of the later episodes I've actually come to somewhat like Sakura, and even if she is not my favorite there won't be much bashing- rather, I'll have her mature through the story, after a little humiliation. :heheh: I have a pairing in mind, and sorry to some but I'm actually tempted to make it shounen-ai. And before some of you groan, it's not going to be sasunaru. As a matter of fact, I'll bet that no one's gonna be able to guess it. .


	3. The Loki of Konohakagure

Author Comments: I know I originally planned to update this weekly, but due to the fact that I'm still in school (and a rather prestigious one at that) I rarely have the fabled thing called "free time." I cannot guarantee that my updates will have less time in between, but I shall try.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, so stop rubbing it in already!

**Chapter 3:**

The Loki of Konohakagure 

The next morning in Konohakagure began as many do, with the sun reaching out with tentative arms to peek over the horizon and check to see if it was safe from the stern gaze of its lunar counterpart. Once it found the coast clear it steadily rose into the air, and like a child gleefully doing something it knew it shouldn't, began to cast its rays into the window panes of unsuspecting villagers, and into the face of one particular fox ninja.

Hesitant eyelids split to reveal the azure orbs beneath, glazed over with sleep. Immediately they closed and his brow furrowed, the bright light eliciting a quiet curse from the shinobi as he scrubbed furiously at his eyes with the back of his arm. The second attempt at waking up bared eyes far more alert and hinting of a steel gray in annoyance as he rose and pushed the heavy quilt he had been sleeping under away from himself. With almost feline grace he stood and stretched his arms above his head, rotating his shoulder blades until there was an audible popping sound, and sighing in content he relaxed and let his arms fall to his side. Clothed in only his pants, as he no longer bothered with pajamas (not caring enough to make the "troublesome" transaction of changing cloths when the ones he had on were perfectly fine- at least in his bone weary mind after many tiring missions) he set off to walking to his kitchen, sending one last withering glare to the blazing eye beyond his window.

The gaze of the sun behind him showed that it was less than impressed.

Now alone in his tiled kitchen at 5 am, Naruto padded over to the splintering counter and thoughtfully placed his hand upon its surface. Kakashi had stated that the group was to meet at the front gates of Konoha in roughly an hour, but knowing their former sensei it would likely be noon before he himself showed up. Naruto felt a sweat-drop form and slide down his temple, for though he wasn't really adverse to waiting in particular, he didn't want to sit around for six hours with nothing to do but watch Sakura flutter her eyelashes at the ever stoic Sasuke...

Suddenly he glanced up in surprise as a bolt of inspiration crashed into his skull, splitting his face into a slowly gathering, evil grin. "Naruto the Trickster" had been dormant for far too long, and now given the opportunity to unleash the Loki of Konohakagure upon its inhabitants the fox ninja couldn't resist. He would have to act quickly if he wanted to catch his intended victim at exactly the right time, so he set about collecting what he needed for the morning while laying out a fast breakfast for himself. He then went back through the creaking hallway and into the bathroom, snatching the small container of hair dye, half-used from his more recent escapades, before going into his bedroom. The shinobi then went about the tedious task of strapping on the various knives and weapons of his profession, being sure to restock his supply of whatnots into his leg-pouch as he absentmindedly flung on the black tank top he generally wore beneath the orange jacket. He didn't bother with a shower as he had taken one the night prior, and likewise decided to forgo donning the blinding jacket in favor of coming back for it later.

Now comfortably clothed in sandals, shirt, and headband, Naruto returned to the small living room, smirking as he tossed the small jar of hair dye up and caught it repeatedly. Briefly he passed into the kitchen, catching with his free hand the slightly overdone toast as it burst free of the metal confines of the toaster, and placing a corner of the bread into his mouth to brace between his teeth as he grabbed his pack and flung it over his shoulder. His jacket he could do without, but his backpack was a priority, and to be on the safe side he brought it with him, containing what he had stored away for the mission the day before in case the scarecrow decided to be spontaneous.

The soft 'click' of the door latch, followed by an answering click as Naruto inserted his key and turned, broke the easy silence of the early morning. Not bothering to step lightly down the stairway, as not even the greasy landlord to his apartment dared to live in the same building as the 'demon', Naruto let his feet connect loudly with the cement. Not that it bothered him much to be living alone, for he could technically do whatever he wanted without having to try and sneak past any annoying neighbors. And with that he chuckled, if a bit maniacally, and cheerfully followed the pathway out of the complex and to the center of Konoha, the suspicious sound of a sigh and clacking nails fluttering at the back of his mind. The fox ninja mentally stuck his tongue out at his inmate. The fox himself just rolled his eyes.

- - - - - -

It didn't take long to reach his destination. In the early hours of the morning the majority of the village was off of the streets, leaving the air thick with a sleepy stillness. The fox ninja didn't mind the quiet, as it was so rare that he could venture into a normally heavily populated area without receiving the Look. Trash-littered sidewalks had given way to clean streets that nearly seemed swept, and the graffiti covered walls were appearing less and less often. Everything seemed so... pristine. Coming from the gutters, Naruto always felt dirty and scruffy in this part of town.

Finally coming to the complex of his newest "victim" Naruto had to stop and take an envious look at his surroundings. The brick of the buildings were a brilliant white and the lawns were carefully manicured, a stark contrast that caused the apartments to glow softly in the early light. He took the time to observe the grass by leaning down and running his hand admiringly over the tiny blades, absorbing the musky scent of loam and morning dew. In his profession he never really got to appreciate the luxury of grass, either running past the wild meadows at break-neck speeds or tearing the helpless plants from the soil while fighting a particularly aggressive opponent. He suppressed the sudden and strange urge to roll in the gentle green (a mental glare is sent to his prisoner) and stood upright, walking at a casual pace to the back of the buildings.

It was here that he planned to unleash his prank up his hapless victim. The water pump and heater was unguarded and easily accessible, and why not? Here you didn't actually need to protect your water from those that would try to take off with it behind your back. Uncapping the lid to the bulky monstrosity, Naruto reflected on what had given him the idea to try this to begin with. He had remembered a while back, when first training as a genin before the chuunin exams, that he had mentioned to Sakura his habit of showering at night rather than the morning. She had responded in her usual snide manner that girls such as herself would never think to do such a thing because one could get sweaty at night, and _then_ where would they be if they couldn't appear beautiful the next morning?

In the same casual air that he had taken on the way over, Naruto tried not to appear too suspicious as he poured the green dye into the opening, or at least he tried not to seem as if he was enjoying himself quite so much. Everything was smooth sailing so far... until the victim's boyfriend caught him.

"... do I even _want _to know what you're doing?"

The blond ninja glanced behind, his mind momentarily going on overdrive as he wondered how someone could sneak up on him so easily, before he gave out an almost relieved sigh and leaned against the machine. Standing with his perpetual bad posture and high top knot, Shikamaru was gazing at Naruto through bored, half-lidded eyes. A brow arched delicately as dark orbs traced the line from Naruto's vulpine grin to his hand which continued to pour a thin stream into the machine, a grimace following as he caught sight of the label and color of the jar.

"_Green_, Naruto? Why must you hurt me so? Ino's going to be pissed when she gets out of the shower and she's almost impossible to handle when she gets that way... So troublesome."

"Then why put up with her, if you know she'll be difficult?"

"Because we're going on a _date _today." Naruto's expression turned to one of amused sympathy, even as he pulled away the jar with the last of the liquid dribbling down, and screwed the lid back on. He didn't bother to ask the other why he was up and about so early, most shinobi were nowadays with that walking paranoia Orichimaru out there, even if Sound hadn't made any hostile movements lately. _Especially_ since Sound hadn't made any movements, because if they weren't acting they were likely plotting.

One may wonder why Naruto had chosen to prank Ino of all people, rather than a more obvious choice like Sakura. Really, it was just self-preservation. If he did it to Sakura then she would know who pranked her, and since he would be traveling with her for the next few days it wouldn't be a healthy decision. With Ino he didn't have to worry about it because he would be far away from the village before she figured it out. Secondly, he didn't want to contend with a righteously angry Rock Lee, should he be nearby as he often is to see them off when they left for missions. The guy was pretty cool with that honor code thing he had going on, but he had a wickedly painful drop-kick when it came to the "woman he loved."

"Well, good luck to ya. I think I hear someone walking around up there. Ta ta!" Giving his little closed-eye fox grin Naruto cheerfully walked away, waving at the lazy genius as he went. Shikamaru followed him with his heavily dilated eyes and a frown, hands in his pockets as he debated whether it would be worth the effort to get revenge on the blond ninja later... Nah, too troublesome.

"AAAARGH! What the HELL!" The scream from the building behind him caused the genius to sigh and shake his head, looking upwards to the clouds to hopefully derive an answer to his problems from the fluffy giants above. No such luck. And so he proceeded with his shuffle-walk to the front of the building to deal with the inevitable storm ahead of him.

TBC

Announcement: This fanfic is brought to you by Waffle Crisps- a part of a balanced breakfast that every ninja needs to do his/her best! Sponsored by Itachi-san, because obsessed, psychopathic bad guys always know the key to victory.

http// www. deviantart. com/ view/ 18520725/ (Not the artist of this, by the way)

I also noticed that some people were having trouble with the link, so I put spaces in it.

Comments: Please review. :) I tried to make this chapter a little longer, and with each successive chapter it will lengthen more. I don't generally get Writer's Block, as I have the story all played out in my head, so rest assure that that won't be a problem. The next chapter will have Naruto and Team 7 out of the village and traveling, so that should also relieve some of you.


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